Description
These grilled shrimp tacos feature marinated shrimp grilled to perfection, topped with a spicy mayonnaise sauce and fresh toppings like cabbage, radish, and cilantro for a vibrant and flavorful meal perfect for any taco night.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Shrimp
- 1 pound large or extra large shrimp (31/40), frozen and thawed
Shrimp Marinade
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Frank’s or Valentina)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Optional for Serving
- Coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
- Cotija or feta cheese crumbles
- Lime wedges
- Radish, sliced
- Red onion, sliced
- Corn or wheat taco-sized tortillas
- Cilantro, fresh
Instructions
- Prepare the shrimp: Rinse and pat the shrimp dry. Keep the tails on while cooking and remove after grilling.
- Make the marinade: In a large bowl, combine garlic, lime juice, cayenne, smoked paprika, cumin, melted butter, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss the shrimp until evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to marinate.
- Prepare the sauce: Mix mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, hot sauce, and onion powder in a small bowl. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
- Preheat the grill: Heat the grill to medium-high.
- Grill the shrimp: Thread shrimp onto wooden skewers. Grill shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side until opaque and cooked through. Alternatively, cook in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes per side.
- Remove tails: After cooking, remove shrimp tails before assembling the tacos.
- Assemble tacos: Warm tortillas and layer with coleslaw or shredded cabbage, radish slices, red onion, cilantro, and cotija or feta cheese. Add 3-4 grilled shrimp per taco and drizzle with spicy mayonnaise sauce.
Notes
- Use wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes before threading shrimp to prevent burning on the grill.
- Adjust cayenne and hot sauce amounts to control the level of spiciness.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute Greek yogurt with additional mayonnaise or a vegan yogurt.
- If you don’t have a grill, cooking the shrimp in a skillet on the stovetop works well.
- Shrimp cooks quickly; avoid overcooking to keep them tender and juicy.
- Serve with lime wedges to add a bright, fresh contrast to the smoky shrimp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg
